Labor’s flawed community consultation has come under scrutiny in state parliament during the debate triggered by the Save Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club (SLSC) petition.
The petition, signed by 2575 people in only four days is demanding tangible action on Inverloch coastal erosion and rejects the recommendations in the Allan Labor Government’s draft Coast to Coast Resilience Project Plan.
In leading the debate on behalf of locals, The Nationals’ Member for Eastern Victoria, Melina Bath said the Inverloch SLSC and other public and private assets are at imminent risk after years of Labor inaction.
“For 10 years the state government has been kicking the tin down the road on coastal erosion and locals are frustrated.
“Labor has used a limited consultation process with loaded questions to justify its coastal retreat strategy.
“The September storms and SLSC’s petition expose serious failures with the draft plan.”
“The Allan Government is avoiding structural engineering solutions due to political ideology and the required financial investment.
“Sand renourishment of the beach in isolation will not improve the resilience of Inverloch’s coastline – it’s a temporary and inadequate band aid.”
In her criticism of the state government, Ms Bath pointed to the technical pathways documented in the 2022 Inverloch Region Coastal Hazard Assessment.
Ms Bath said the document identified two options to address coastal erosion from the Bunurong Road Seawall to Point Norman; pathway one was to maintain existing dune and beach amenity for long term planning and pathway two was retreat.
“Unsurprisingly Labor’s recommendation two years later is retreat, but it is failing to come clean with residents on the full implications.
“Retreat is the Allan Government’s ‘get out jail free card’ to justify doing little as the beach, surf lifesaving club, dunes, footpaths, road and potentially homes are at risk due to coastal erosion.
“The Inverloch SLSC petition was embraced by 40 per cent of the town’s population and I thank President, Glenn Arnold, Treasurer Steven Duncan and the Tourism Association for its continued advocacy on behalf of their community.
“Labor can’t manage coastal erosion, can manage money and Inverloch residents are paying the price.”